Holding my hopping 4-year-old daughter's hand, my younger daughter anchored on my hip, I approached the Orange Public Library for the first time since moving from Pasadena a month before. Escaping from that city's smog, I felt wonderfully countrified. Orange blossoms and eucalyptus scented the air. I loved being here.

The only flaw was this pokey library in its Carnegie building from 1905. In Pasadena, we lived a block from the Main Library, a grande dame with beautiful architecture, fountain and thousands of books.

In Orange, we entered into faint smells of dust and must. Picture books first – we chose several – then to the grown-up section. Although small, this library had shelves full of knowledge and adventure. I thought I had read all of Pearl Buck's books, but here I discovered a different one. Hooray! I added it to our pile and hurried to check out. I told the librarian about my find. She smiled, reaching for our books. She pressed the gadget on her pencil's tip onto an inkpad and stamped the due date inside each book cover. Thump, thump.

Outside, we sat on the library's front lawn under a fine old tree and looked at our treasures with satisfaction. Orange took good care of her citizens' literary needs.

1960

Anticipating a population above 40,000, Orange tore down the old library and began construction of a modern 17,000-square-foot building on the same site.

Some books were moved to storage. Many were moved to an empty store on the corner of Chapman and Grand where flustered librarians did their best to serve the public. Wondrously, we could check out unlimited books and keep them for extra time during the building process.

Our family attended the official library open house. All was beige and scientifically lit, air-conditioned cool with attractive furnishings and even more materials. The beloved tree in front was no more, but residents had a modern library to brag about.

2007

Another Main Library expansion: 45,000 square feet with spacious rooms for the adult section and children's library, homework center, teen zone and history center. We applauded the additions of a second story, lookout tower and a fountain we remembered from olden days on the Plaza. Shelves of videos, magazines, CDs, DVDs, ranks of computers and the latest in self-checkout – Orange proudly progressed to library big time.

– Barbara Linkh is a longtime resident of Orange who directed Children's Village Preschool for 15 years.

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